PLEASANT HILL — Trailing 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Bishop O’Dowd was looking for that one run to keep its North Coast Section Division II championship hope alive.
Instead, the Dragons got seven to post a come-from-behind 8-2 win over Antioch.
O’Dowd had the height of its season with a seven-run inning to become NCS Division II champions, as the Dragons saw seven of eight batters reach base and take a lead they would not relinquish. The string included two singles and three doubles, after a pair of walks to open the inning. The only batter in the string that did not reach base provided a sacrifice fly.
Pitcher Elizabeth Avery went the distance for O'Dowd, tossing 11 strikeouts, allowing six hits. She also doubled three times.
“They never quit, and when they get rolling they get super hot,” said Dragons head coach Mike Cobb. “It becomes infectious. Everyone starts hitting, they become a little tight.”
Cambria Restagno also had a three-hit day for O'Dowd, while Alana Berger Moodie had two RBIs. Antioch was led by Haley Painter, who went 2-for-2 with a double and scored one of the Panthers' two runs, both of which came in the bottom of the third to give Antioch a 2-1 lead. Bailee Reed and Alissa West both drove in runs during the bottom of the third for the Panthers, and Reed also went the distance in the circle, pitching superbly for six innings before the Dragons exploded in their final chance at the plate.
Bishop O'Dowd took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on Nicole Hammoude's ground ball with one out, which scored Avery, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
The win erases the sting of last year's title game loss for O'Dowd, which fell to Carondelet in the 2018 Division II final. Next year, the Dragons will compete in the Division I bracket, by virtue of the NCS competitive equity bylaws.
